


The Sweet Façade of Being In Love

by beautifuldays



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, F/M, Failed confession, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:11:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26040154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautifuldays/pseuds/beautifuldays
Summary: “Tanaka… what would you feel if someone confesses their feelings to you?”“I think it is alright for me.”Her heart skipped a beat once more. He doesn’t mind. Waiting for more of his response, she silently anticipated.“But I already have someone in my heart.”
Relationships: Amanai Kanoka/Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Shimizu Kiyoko/Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Shimizu Kiyoko/Tanaka Ryuunosuke/Amanai Kanoka
Kudos: 22





	The Sweet Façade of Being In Love

**Author's Note:**

> A contribution to the TanaKiyo /angst/ ship featuring Amanai Kanoka! Enjoy reading!

_Those unsaid feelings will remain voiceless for the rest of eternity._

-

_Tanaka Ryūnosuke_ is a lot different from her. It's as if they were born from two separate worlds and they are meant to thrive differently from each other. He was striking and bold, and the female had to agree he was a bit troublesome. He is a proud person with short resistance to chaos around him. On the other hand, _Shimizu Kiyoko_ is a lot feminine than she looks like. She is a flower blooming on the first day of spring-- attractive and classic. She is a bit stern when it comes to her expression but her affection and aid towards her comrades are constant and unyielding.

_Tanaka likes Kiyoko_. It is not a secret to everyone. Even the female herself knows about it. Who wouldn't adore the most charming member of the club? Almost anyone would go head over heels for her; to make her mine is the most impossible thing to happen though. Yet, the lass never cared, only doting to the players' needs every time club schedules happen.

_Or so she thought._

But things got puzzling for her suddenly. While she was standing on the side of the court recording the scores of team practicing at the center, the ball instantly trajected going to her direction without her noticing. She was about to get hit straight on her face when someone blocked it with their arm, his back facing hers. It took Kiyoko for a moment to realize that the arm is owned by none other than Tanaka. At that time, she felt her world spin slowly when he turned around and asked her, "Kiyoko-san, are you alright?"

_And that was the day she knew things for both of them will never be the same again._

"Shimizu-senpai, are you alright?"

She heard her junior, Hitoka, asked her that question. Looking at her with perplexity all over her face, she replied, "Why are you asking?"

"You've been always spacing out whenever the team practices..." she whispered, afraid of what the older will react. Hearing that gave Kiyoko bright pink blotches on both her cheeks. She cannot be found. She doesn't want anyone to dive the chasm of her secrets just yet.

"Kiyoko-san!" shouted Tanaka, who approached them gleefully suddenly without them noticing. Hitoka waved at him, but she jolted right at her spot that confused the male. "What's wrong?"

It is very unnatural for her to act so shy in front of him that she blushed a darker shade of magenta on her whole face. She hid the small, colored splotches painted on her visage by handing him a towel, unable to look at him directly. Astonished and confused at her actions, he gladly took them anyway, wiping the beaded sweat forming on his face and neck and stands next to her while observing the other players slumped on the floor. It was a deafening silence between the two of them as they are both acting unusual-- with Tanaka being calmer around her and Kiyoko behaving quite timid.

The male decided to break the silence by clearing his throat, obviously trying to lighten up the atmosphere. Kiyoko gazed sideways to check him... _and he is looking right at her_. She nervously gulped, trying to fight the quick pace of her beating heart. "Thank you again from the last time, Tanaka," she mumbled, wondering if he can hear it. To her surprise, he gently pats her shoulder. It made her heart skip a beat.

"It's been a week since that happened, Kiyoko-san. No worries!" he responded with a beam. Sparks flew when his lips curved that it brought butterflies in her stomach. Since when did he start making him feel this way? She is not sure, but there is one thing that she is certain of.

_It’s a secret but she likes him for a long time. All by herself_.

“Anyway, you seem too occupied these days, Kiyoko-san,” he started to open a casual conversation with her. Unbelievable. Back then, she swore both Tanaka and Nishinoya would swoon over her every single moment they are available. It kind of left an unsettling feeling on her guts.

Shrugging those thoughts off, she replied at his statement. “Ah… I’m just thinking of some things, Tanaka. Nothing important.”

“Actually, I feel the same.”

She couldn’t conceive what’s she’s been hearing from the lad. She felt the continuous thumping of her chest as if it was aching to be let free, wondering if he’s thinking of her like she does. She gathered her courage to ask him. “What were you thinking of?”

“Just some things also,” said Tanaka and chuckles afterwards. Somehow disappointed at his words, she simply nods and looks up. ‘ _Ah… what am I expecting?_ ’ she thought to herself. It was cut off when he speaks again to her. “Would you like to go with me later to Ukai-san’s mart to grab something to eat and talk about those lingering thoughts troubling you?”

The drought that ruled her grey orbs started disappearing at his invitation and is replaced by sparkling Is this finally her time? She feels shy, but she knows best nothing is gonna happen if she declines.

It is now or never.

“Sure. It is set,” she muttered calmly, accompanied with an adorable smile she has never shown to anyone before.

━━━━━━━━━━

Time flew slow for her as she watched them finish their practice for the rest of the afternoon, only looking at Tanaka who seemed so flawless and godly for her. His sharp and strong spikes, his perfect blocks, and the sweat strewing off his face-- it brought bliss for her. She is sure this time that she likes him, and that she will tell him everything after this one.

“Let’s go now?” he ushered at her who was still in deep thoughts when he arrived in front of the gymnasium. Looking up, she sees him wearing the male’s uniform back, and she admits it looks pretty good on him. Happily grunting as a response, they started treading along the pathway leading to the place run by their coach’s family.

Every step they take is already embedded in her mind. The serene ambiance wrapped around them is rather cozy and pleasant that she didn’t even mind if they do not speak towards each other for a moment, not until Ryū started conversing with her again.

“How are you holding up these days, Kiyoko-san? Even though you seem absent-minded, you look happier these days,” he admitted, looking at her with a cunning smile completing his nasty expression. He is definitely teasing her. “Don’t tell me you already found someone you like???”

Feeling flustered at his question, her face flushed. It was just a question from him, yet she is already antsy and sheepish around him. What more if she tries confessing to him later? He faked a chest pain gesture and laughed at his silliness. She gazed sideways to scan for any other expression from him.

There was none.

“Tanaka… what would you feel if someone confesses their feelings to you?”

They were already near the mart when she asked that question. He halted at her interrogation. Knowing it was an awkward and puerile question to ask, she was about to apologize but he opened his mouth to respond.

“I think it is alright for me.”

Her heart skipped a beat once more. He doesn’t mind. Waiting for more of his response, she silently anticipated.

“But I already have someone in my heart.”

_Thump, thump_. She has never felt this way before. Her hands are feeling sweaty with her mind going light. Everyone knows, even Kiyoko, that the male likes her. Is this a dream come true? Is she now in some romance drama, and she is the protagonist of this love story? She wants to know more. Slowly tucking her jet-black hair behind her ear, she gently mumbled the right words to confess. “Tanaka, I need to tell you something.”

“Ryū!!!”

Both of them swerved their heads towards the direction of the speaker. It is a fairly tall female, with striking, black hair matching her small face and eyes that speak thousands of emotions. Blinking at her twice, Kiyoko looked back at him once again.

And she wished she never did.

His eyes turned the same favor. Those lovesome orbs peers right back at the unfamiliar female, like a male to his lover. His smile was the sweetest of them all when he beamed right back at her. It looked like they are the only people in this world right now. Mayhaps, she now understands the sudden change of the male’s behavior towards her.

“Oh, Kanoka!”

And his voice that called out the latter’s name was so endearing that her heart sank at this obvious truth.

Tanaka tore his gaze off at Kanoka for a moment, remembering that he is still talking with someone. “Ah, Kiyoko-san… what are you going to tell me, anyway?” he asked.

She bitterly smiled. It is best not to dwell any longer on those jittery feelings he brought her. Slowly shaking her head, she uttered in almost a whisper, “I’m already fine. You can go on with her now.” It was a lie, but what good would it do to tell him the truth in front of his real love?

How she wished he will say, ‘No, I will stay with you.’ How she hoped that what she sees are illusions. Yet, he only gave her an encouraging smile and fervently nods. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Kiyoko-san!”

_It is time to let him go_.

Tanaka liked Kiyoko. But the spaces of his heart is now filled by another someone who makes him more blithesome and jovial than before.

Seeing them walk away together, with their backs seemingly happier than ever when they are side by side, broke her aching heart more. She didn’t know that the reason of her happiness will be the cause of her tears today. The butterflies that invaded her for a few moments are now freely flying away from the imprisonment of a sweet facade. Clenching her fists, she knew it is time again to close the barriers of her shaking fragment and let them drown back again into the sea of emptiness.

_Those unsaid feelings will remain voiceless for the rest of eternity._

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are much appreciated for this one for the betterment of the author. Thank you!


End file.
